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Households debt including mortgages now stands at just under £1.46trillion.

Peter Tutton, head of policy at debt charity StepChange, said: “Part of this rise could be due to people shopping online or using credit to spread the cost of Christmas.

“But if credit balances continue to increase at this rate into the New Year then concerns about a new and possibly unsustainable credit boom will grow.”

Joanna Elson, chief executive of the Money Advice Trust, the charity behind National Debtline, said: “These figures confirm that we do need to keep a watchful eye on the huge growth in consumer credit we are now seeing.

“Many households will be able to handle this extra borrowing - but many will not, and we are expecting an increase in debt problems in the New Year as a result.

“Our research shows that nearly six million Britons are likely to fall behind on their finances this month, after a Christmas that more than one in three put on credit.”

Recent figures also showed households were saving a record low 4.4% of their disposable incomes.